


I won't say I'm in love

by elizaham8957



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Ancient Greece AU, Disney AU? Kinda, F/M, Heroes, PG ratings whom??, Romance, all that jazz, except there's sex so... not really, fairytale, for Jonerys AU month, hercules au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-20 22:24:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21064178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizaham8957/pseuds/elizaham8957
Summary: “I… you don’t want help?” he asked, to which she shook her head vigorously. “But aren’t you a damsel in distress?”She could laugh at that. Rolling her eyes, she couldn’t resist the urge to perch a hand on her hip, fixing him with a withering scowl.“I’m a damsel. I’m in distress. I can handle it."





	1. all I've ever known is how to hold my own (but now I wanna hold you too)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [esteri_ivy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/esteri_ivy/gifts).

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE!! 
> 
> I'd like to first apologize that I'm posting your present so late in the day, and second apologize for the fact that it's only half done. You know better than most people how fics tend to run away from me, and this one certainly did. The rest should be up tomorrow!
> 
> This is a Hercules AU that was supposed to be short (lol) but then got heavily expanded, as my fics tend to do. Still, it was super fun to write. Just a quick note, I did absolutely zero research on Greek mythology for this. All my knowledge is coming from Hercules the Disney movie, Percy Jackson, and the Ancient World on Film class I took last spring. Please forgive any glaring errors, and also note that the source material is like, completely unfaithful to the actual myths as well, so. That's the standard I'm going for here. 
> 
> A million thanks to Giulia and Fer for reading over this for me, as always. You guys would be frightened to see my writing before those two get their hands on it. I hope you guys enjoy this second contribution to Jonerys AU month, and also, if you haven't already, go wish Ellie a happy birthday, because she's the best. I hope you like this, girl!! 
> 
> Chapter titles are from Hadestown because that was the mood while writing this. Enjoy, everyone!!

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/146793737@N07/48911268281/in/dateposted-public/)

Heroes, Dany had come to learn, were entirely more trouble than they were worth. 

They went and ran into danger without a moment’s notice, determined to be noble and brave and never give cleverness a second thought. They did stupid things, always trying to outdo each other. And then they died. 

She should have known, the moment the dragon roared, that someone would come running. Greece seemed to be absolutely overrun with heroes nowadays. Still, this she could handle by herself. 

“It’s alright,” she assured the creature, hands spread wide, steps careful and slow. The dragon roared again, tossing its massive black head, wings beating so wide that they seemed to block out the sky. 

“Milady!” she heard from behind her, and Dany froze, eyes wide. The dragon sensed the intruder as well, its huge, golden eyes narrowing as its wings folded in, tail whipping against the ground. 

“Are you alright?” the voice asked, footfalls accompanying it. Dany turned, coming face to face with a man about her age, clad in armor and holding a long bronze sword. 

Well. Not _ much _armor, she supposed. His sculpted abs were bared, only his shoulders and one arm covered in laughably impractical armor. Still, he was a sight, with his dark riot of curls and bearded jaw, eyes sharp as they tracked the dragon’s movement. 

Regardless of how handsome he might have been, Dany still had no interest in getting killed. 

“Stay _ back, _you idiot!” she hissed, and the man froze, his brow furrowing. 

“I… you don’t want help?” he asked, to which she shook her head vigorously. “But aren’t you a damsel in distress?” 

She could laugh at that. Rolling her eyes, she couldn’t resist the urge to perch a hand on her hip, fixing him with a withering scowl. She didn’t miss the way his eyes roamed up her entire figure. 

“I’m a damsel. I’m in distress. I can handle it,” Dany said, before turning back to the creature, giving it her full attention once again. It roared, wings spread wide once again, baring its razor fangs. It was in distress, _ clearly, _the appearance of someone wielding a sword certainly not helping. 

Her newfound hero didn’t seem to heed her words, as before she could blink, he was running past her, sword raised. 

The dragon roared, spewing fire into the sky and making the clouds appear dark with smoke. The metallic clang of his sword against the dragon’s hide echoed through the clearing, only making the creature more agitated, hissing at the man. 

“What are you _ doing?” _Dany demanded, but he continued to fight, to no avail. Her breath caught as he seemed to find a chink in the dragon’s scales, the creature roaring in pain. 

_ “Hey!” _she screamed, all thoughts of her own safety thrown to the wind as she rushed over to the man, shoving him back from the dragon before he could deliver the kill shot. He seemed so stunned by her actions that he stumbled back, sword falling to her side. Her hands flew to the dragon’s side, the scales warm under her palms. 

“It’s alright,” she whispered, the creature calming as the man stood frozen. Its head lowered, large golden eyes blinking at her, Dany determined not to break eye contact. 

“You’re safe now,” she promised. “I won’t let him hurt you.” A rumbling noise sounded in the dragon’s throat, and his eyes slid shut as Dany tentatively stroked his snout, a whistling purr echoing from his nostrils. 

“Go,” she urged, voice quiet but insistent. “Fly far away from here.” As if it could understand her, the dragon’s eyes opened, head rising as it spread its wings and leapt into the sky. 

Dany stepped back to allow the creature room to take off, only remembering the man was still there when he spoke again. “How did you do that?” he demanded, eyes wide and bewildered. 

“He was just frightened,” she told him. “He didn’t want to hurt anyone. Not until you went rushing at him with a sword, that is.” 

The man looked down at the sword in his hand, afternoon sunlight gleaming off the bronze blade. The pommel was shaped to look like the head of a wolf, she realized, rubies glinting as its eyes. It looked expensive, and well made. Not something just anyone would happen to acquire. 

“You know, not everything that _ looks _like a monster is one,” Dany said, raising an eyebrow at the man. He stood there dumbly, sword still held in hand, watching as the great winged beast grew smaller and smaller in the sky. 

_ And not everything that is a monster looks like one either, _she thought bitterly. 

“I didn’t realize,” he said finally. “I’m sorry, er—”

“Daenerys,” she supplied. “Though my friends call me Dany.” Or they would, if she had any friends. 

“Daenerys,” he repeated. “That’s pretty.” Her heart skipped, eyes travelling over the stranger once again, unable to deny just how very comely he was. 

“Well, I’m sorry to cause you trouble, Daenerys,” he said. “I didn’t mean to interfere in somethin’ you had under control.” 

“It’s alright,” she said with a shrug. Not much to be done about it now. “You should head into the city, though, if you’re looking for monsters to fight. Much more plentiful than out here in the country.” 

“I was on my way there,” he admitted. He just looked at her for a moment, those dark, mysterious eyes pulling her in, before he seemed to break from the trance. “I’m Jon Snow,” he added, more as an afterthought. 

“Jon Snow,” she repeated, like she was trying it out. It was unusual, but it suited him. “Well, I wish you good fortune,” she said, with a little wave of farewell. “I hope you find the fame and glory all you heroes seem to be chasing.” 

His brow furrowed, studying her again. “I don’t want fame and glory,” he said, and surprisingly, the conviction in his voice had her actually believing him. “I just want to help people.” 

Dany remained silent a moment, not entirely sure how to respond to that. “Well, then I hope you can manage to do that,” she finally said. “Try not to get yourself killed.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said, a hint of a smile pulling up at his pretty mouth, before he turned, and he was gone. 

Dany exhaled, leaning up against a tree, heart still pounding with leftover adrenaline— whether from the dragon, or from Jon Snow, she wasn’t sure. 

The calm after the storm didn’t last long, though. Mere moments after Jon disappeared, Dany could feel the chill creep into the wood, see the sky darken and the air grow heavy. She squeezed her eyes closed, wishing that she _ didn’t _have to do this right now. 

“Daenerys, darling,” a voice echoed from the trees, its owner emerging from the darkness like a shadow creeping closer. She could see the annoyance on his pallid face, long fingers pressed together as he stepped closer. 

“Hades,” she said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. It was no good to go and displease the god of the dead, especially when he was already in a sour mood. 

“What are you doing out here, tangling with dragons?” he asked, frowning at her. “You’re supposed to be working. Convincing minor deities over to my side of the upcoming war. Remember?” 

_ How could I forget? _she thought bitterly. It was all he ever talked about. His grand plan to unseat the gods by freeing the Titans when the planets aligned, giving him control of the universe. 

It sounded awful to Dany, and too much work to be worth it. World domination seemed better in theoreticals, she was sure. But she didn’t exactly have a choice. Whatever Hades wanted from her, she had to do. 

“I’m sorry, my lord,” she said, smiling, hoping Hades couldn’t see how false it truly was. “I _ was _going to convince the river guardian to join your fight. I ran into the dragon on the way there.” 

_ “Our _fight, dear, remember,” Hades corrected. “As long as your soul belongs to me, my cause is yours too.” 

Dany squeezed her eyes closed again, letting the silence between them hang heavy. As if she needed any reminders of everything she gave up for a man who walked away from her the moment it was convenient. 

Stupid bloody heroes. Always chasing the next best thing, and leaving everything else behind them in dust and ruins. 

“I remember,” she bit back, determined not to let any tears slip past her eyes. “I’m sorry. _ Our _fight.” 

“That’s more like it,” Hades said, his sickening smile too pleased, before his brow furrowed. “Who was the man?” 

Daenerys rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. Some hero who came barging in, like they always do. Almost killed the poor dragon.” 

“Poor dragon,” Hades mocked, picking at his fingernail. “Darling, you have far too much sympathy for those beasts. You know they’d kill you if you gave them a chance.” 

Dany prickled at the way he called them beasts. She’d always thought dragons fascinating— and while they could be fierce, they could also be gentle. They weren’t like hydras or chimeras; they weren’t just monsters. There was much more to them. 

Same as with her— she may have been a minion of Hades, been forced to do terrible things, but sometimes she could still believe there was good left in her yet. 

“Well, this one didn’t,” she spat back, narrowing her eyes at the god of the dead. “Even though this Jon Snow almost ran him through.” 

She expected for Hades to quip back and then tell her what he really wanted. But he didn’t— instead, the god’s pale face grew more pallid, eyes going wide and mouth falling open. “What did you just say?” he demanded, but Daenerys paused. It almost sounded as if he was frightened. 

“The hero, his name was Jon Snow,” she said carefully. “He almost ran the dragon through.” 

“Yes, I got the part about the bloody dragon,” Hades snapped. “You said _ Jon Snow.” _

Dany’s brow furrowed. “I did. Why? Who is he?” 

“A name I’ve only heard in a prophecy,” Hades mumbled, and Dany’s heart quickened, taken aback by the _ fear _she saw in his eyes. She’d never seen a god look so shaken before. His gaze snapped back to her, mouth curling into a snarl. 

“The Fates gave me his name years ago,” Hades said. “They told me that when the planets aligned, I would succeed in my mission. But if the hero Jon Snow was to fight, then my master plan would fail.” 

Dany remained silent, not sure how to respond to that. She thought back to her encounter with this Jon Snow— he had seemed strong, sure, and brave, but nothing worthy of stopping a god. She had seen bigger and better men try and fail at just that. 

“Alright,” Dany said, and for a moment, as she studied Hades’ face… for a moment she suspended her disbelief that Jon Snow was somehow fated to stop the god of the dead, and imagined what would happen if he truly _ did. _She found that it wasn’t that unwelcome of an idea. Though she may be bound to serve Hades, that didn’t mean she agreed with his plan. 

“So what do we do?” she asked, studying Hades. His wild eyes stopped, landing on her, growing cold and focused. 

“I know what we do,” he snarled. “We kill him. I can’t allow him to thwart my plan. Not after how long I’ve waited.” His mouth curled up into a smile, sending shivers down Dany’s spine at the sight. 

“And I know just the thing.” 

***

Dany was good at acting. 

She’d learned long ago to pretend. Pretend she was a good person. Pretend her heart wasn’t breaking. Pretend she was strong enough to make it through. 

She was so good at it now that it was almost second nature. 

When she stumbled upon Jon in the city, with that sword at his hip and a desperate desire to prove himself glinting in his dark eyes, it was all too easy to pretend that she truly was in need of his help. 

Of course, she hadn’t just stumbled into him. That, too, had been meticulously set up by Hades. 

“Jon Snow!” she gasped, almost falling into his arms, her eyes wide and wild. “Oh, thank the gods!” Jon started, grabbing her elbows to hold her up, and Dany tried desperately not to dwell on the feel of his hands against her skin, the way it made her heart swoop. 

“Daenerys,” he says, fingers running down her arms as he helped her regain her balance. She was surprised he had remembered her name, in all truth. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?” 

_ “I’m _alright,” she gasped. “But the children— there are two little boys, stuck in the gorge,” she managed to get out, brow still drawn in fear. “They’re about to be crushed! You have to help them!” 

“Where?” Jon said, turning over his shoulder, whistling lowly for something. She almost screamed as an enormous white wolf with eyes like rubies bounded through the crowd, coming to a stop at Jon’s side.

“It’s alright, this is just Ghost,” Jon said, sinking his fingers into the snowy fur of the horse-sized wolf. He climbed up onto the beast like it was second nature, extending an arm for her to get on as well. “Daenerys, where are the children?”

Ghost ran faster than the wind once she told Jon where to go, the three of them arriving at the gorge in no time at all. Jon scrambled off his wolf, helping her dismount hastily before scaling down the rocky cliff face to the bottom. 

“Down here!” a small voice called, Jon running deeper into the gorge to the source of the voice. Dany heard murmuring, noticing the crowd of villagers that had followed to watch. She slinked back, away from the other people, to the secluded, rocky ledge above it all, where Hades was waiting. 

“An award winning performance, darling, really,” Hades said when she reached the top, Dany remaining stoic. Just because Hades forced her to do his bidding didn’t mean she had to like it. She wasn’t entirely sure what she thought of Jon Snow, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to die gruesomely in front of all these people.

The little boys came scrambling out of the gorge not a moment later, Jon having dislodged the rocks keeping them trapped. The villagers cheered, but dread flooded Dany’s stomach. The boys weren’t real— just mirages Hades had conjured. And now the real challenge was about to begin. 

“Come on, Jon, get out of there,” she murmured under her breath, too quiet for Hades to hear. She found herself praying that he would leave now, not linger and be forced to discover what creature lurked in the bottom of the gorge. 

_ Because last time, praying to the gods did you so much good, _her mind spat. She frowned, eyes still fixed on Jon as he stroked his wolf’s hide. The last time she had prayed to a god, the god had appeared, and she had desperately sold him her soul to save the life of her dying lover. And then Drogo had left her for someone else like she was nothing to him, shattering her heart and her trust in the process. 

Still, this Jon Snow seemed… different than Drogo. She thought back to his words in the clearing from the other day— how he’d said he didn’t want fame and glory, just to help people. There was a part of her believed him, she found.

But it was too late for that now. A guttural roar echoed through the chasm, the villagers crying out in fear. Jon turned from the crowd, just as the massive hydra Hades had so aptly planned for emerged from the shadows of a rocky cave. 

She gave him credit— Jon showed no fear, even when faced with a beast that was almost a hundred feet high. His wolf raced off at his command, planting himself between the crowd of people and the monster, as he drew his sword, the rubies on the pommel gleaming in the late afternoon sun. The hydra roared, Hades cackling as it lunged at Jon. 

Dany could barely breathe, watching him fight. _ Why _she was so nervous she couldn’t quite place— maybe her bitterness towards Hades just made her want to see him fail. Or maybe she really did not want to see Jon Snow die. A little terrified by the implications of that thought, Dany shook her head, eyes tracking Jon’s blows and parries against the monster as he fought. The beast lunged at Jon once again, but this time, Jon was quicker— darting out of the way, he snarled as he raised his sword over his head, slicing off the hydra’s head, blood spattering everywhere. 

The villagers cheered, but Hades just laughed. “These foolish heroes,” he said jovially, Dany frowning at him. “They never do their research on monsters before they fight them.” The hydra’s body began to twitch on the ground, no longer lifeless, as its severed neck split, growing two new heads. Jon stepped back, sword hanging at his side as his eyes widened, the beast screaming angrily. 

He must have been exhausted from his first battle, but that didn’t stop him, sword flashing as he went back to fighting off the beast. He didn’t go for the heads this time, Dany noticed— but the beast’s hide everywhere else was too tough, his sword hardly making a dent. 

His eyes darted to the villagers wildly, his wolf still standing among them, acting as a barrier. The hydra’s heads twisted as they tracked Jon, terrible forked tongues dancing in the air as it growled at him. Her stomach dropped as Jon ran to the villagers— surely he wasn’t giving up? There was no way that the crowd gathered could all escape to safety quick enough. But instead, he grabbed a lit torch from a villager, before running back to the beast. 

“What is he doing?” Hades grumbled, frown pulling at his ugly mouth. Dany couldn’t answer, attention rapt as Jon reentered battle, swinging his sword like it was an extension of his own arm. Once again, he decapitated one of the hydra’s double heads, but this time— he held the torch up, burning the severed neck and cauterizing the beast’s flesh, the hydra screaming in pain. But as it turned towards Jon, roaring terribly, she could see his plan had worked. Two new heads didn’t sprout from the burned stump, and the beast, agitated and in pain, was quick to be defeated, Jon slicing off its other head and burning it before it could regrow. The hydra’s body slumped to the ground, definitively lifeless, and Jon dropped his torch, falling to his knees in exhaustion. 

_ “What?” _Hades hissed, eyes flashing dangerously as Ghost ran to Jon’s side, nudging him with his nose. Jon stood, arm slung around his wolf as he retreated back to the villagers, the cheering crowd beginning to disperse. 

“Sorry,” Dany said, though she felt little sympathy. She wasn’t quite sure _ why _she was so pleased that Jon Snow had lived, but there was no denying the satisfaction of seeing Hades so upset. 

“He was supposed to _ die!” _Hades spat, hands curling into fists. “I can’t have him alive, ruining my plan for domination!” 

“Why don’t you just kill him then?” Dany retorted. “That seems much easier than having some monster face off against him.” 

“I’m not allowed to,” Hades grumbled, crossing his arms. “I can’t interfere to add people to my domain. Zeus forbade it.” 

“Isn’t this interfering, though?” Dany asked, narrowing her eyes. Hades just rolled his, giving her a look. 

“This, sweet, is called a loophole,” he retorted. “And I will find a monster that will kill Jon Snow, so that I don’t have to deal with him.” He grinned menacingly. “And _ you _are going to help me.” 

Dany tried not to grimace, turning away from the god of the dead, back towards the crowd below. Jon was helping them all out of the gorge, back to the village, but he didn’t miss the way that his eyes roamed the sea of faces, as if he was looking for one in particular. 

She didn’t dare let herself hope that he was looking for _ her. _

***

For all he tried, Jon Snow seemed to be completely incapable of dying. 

No matter how many monsters Hades sent after him, he defeated them all. And every time, regardless of how many _ ridiculously _ risky ways he would fight them off, he’d come out almost unscathed. It was almost nonsensical how he _ hadn’t _ died, for he headed into battle with so little regard for his own safety that Dany wasn’t quite sure how he always managed to survive. If it weren’t so terrifying, it would be almost _ funny _how annoyed Hades had grown. 

Dany had to admit, he was a glorious fighter. Watching him move with that sword was like watching someone dance. It was in his blood, all pure instinct. It was like someone was whispering in his ear where to move seconds before he needed to. 

And so he beat everything that Hades sent after him. 

He’d become the talk of Greece, from city to city. All anyone could ever seem to mention was that strapping new hero, Jon Snow, who’d come out of nowhere and saved everyone from disaster after disaster. Dany had seen him out and about a few times since his rise to fame. He was always humble and kind to people, taking time to listen to their words of gratitude, to talk to children who idolized him. Girls fell over him wherever he went, swooning at his dark hair and fine muscles and dreamy eyes. 

She tried to ignore the twist of jealousy in her stomach every time _ that _ happened. She had no claim over Jon. She had only _ spoken _ to him a handful of times. She wasn’t exactly sure she wanted him to _ die, _but that certainly didn’t mean that she felt anything more towards him. She had no reason to stare bitterly at the adoring flocks of maidens that followed him around everywhere he went. 

Dany had sworn off heroes long ago, but the longer she observed Jon Snow, the more certain she became that he wasn’t like any other hero she’d ever met. 

He was just so _ good. _She’d never met a hero so selfless before, so unbelievably un-hung-up on the fame and glory. That seemed to be the last of his worries. It appeared he truly did just want to help people. 

Anytime she came across him in the market, or in the city, his eyes would find hers, and he would smile at her slightly, the corners of his pretty mouth tugging up just so, and she would let herself imagine that he only looked that way at _ her. _

He was quiet and humble, sometimes broody and aloof. He seemed to push off all the advances of the young maidens that fell at his feet, and he could be found scowling off into the distance when things didn’t quite go right. But he also stopped and told children stories of the monsters he’d fought, and showed young boys and girls how to hold a sword properly, and refused to take money from anyone. He was truly just _ good. _

With every day that passed, every new monster he defeated, Dany found herself drawn more and more to Jon Snow. The fact that his absolute _ refusal _to die was making her boss even more and more angry was just an added bonus. 

“I swear, I am _ done _ with this!” Hades shrieked, slamming his hands against the table of his throne room, making Dany jump. “I have sent _ every monster imaginable _ after this boy, and he has killed them _ all! _What am I supposed to do now?” 

“Give up?” Dany suggested dryly, Hades’ brow furrowing in aggravation. 

“Hilarious,” he spit. “No, I have a better idea.” His mouth curled up in a wicked grin, Dany’s heart quickening in her chest. She knew that look. 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way he looks at you any time you two have a little run in,” Hades said, an evil smirk stretching across his face. Dany rolled her eyes, trying to play it off.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she answered. “Jon Snow doesn’t feel anything for _ me. _How could he? We hardly ever speak.” 

“Perhaps it’s time for that to end,” Hades said. “Daenerys, darling, I know you’ve sworn off heroes after Drogo crushed your heart to pieces, but I’m going to need you to get Jon by himself. Charm him, seduce him, distract him, I don’t care. And then _ find out what his weakness is. _Because he must have one.” 

“No,” she said, stomach filling with dread. The idea of deceiving Jon— it made her heart twist painfully. She wouldn’t do that to him. Regardless of what she may or may not feel for him, she wouldn’t stoop so low as to gain his trust and then betray him.

“No?” Hades asked, laughing. “Daenerys, sweet, let me remind you, I _ own _you.” He grinned again, and Dany could feel the evil in it take grip of her very soul. “Now go find out how I can defeat Jon Snow.” 

***

It wasn’t hard to find Jon. 

Anywhere he went, his big white wolf followed behind him, and the enormous creature stuck out easily in a crowd. He was currently napping in front of the gates to the public gardens, signalling that his owner must have been inside. Dany had heard the dejected whispers of maidens complaining about Ghost keeping guard while Jon practiced at night, the wolf growling protectively and prohibiting them from approaching the hero himself. 

But as she edged closer to Ghost, he simply blinked at her a few times, then lowered his head back down onto his massive paws, eyes sliding shut again. 

“Good wolf,” she whispered, pulling open the gates to the gardens. She adjusted the neckline of her chiton as she headed down the path, heart pounding in anticipation of what she knew she must do. 

Jon was in a clearing by the reflecting pool, armor gone and sword in hand, the pale light of the moon reflecting off the blade as it swung through the air, the beginnings of twilight coloring the sky purple and pink. Dany felt her mouth go dry as she watched him train, his muscles flexing with every swing of the sword. He was graceful as a dancer, his movements giving off the impression that he was born to wield a sword, as if it was a part of him, inseparable from the rest. 

Gathering her courage, she called out to him. 

“Do you ever stop preparing for your next fight?” she asked, voice deceptively light, and her heart pounded when Jon turned towards her, eyes going wide at the sight of her. A flash of pleasure shot through her at the way he surveyed her from head to toe as she stepped closer. 

“Daenerys,” he said, and while he sounded surprised, she was relieved he didn’t sound displeased. Although, if he was mad she interrupted his training and just sent her away, she supposed she could just go back to Hades and tell him she’d had no luck. 

“Can never be too prepared,” Jon added, answering her question as he wiped sweat from his brow. His hair was pulled back tonight, Dany realized, the top half tied in a knot at the back of his head. As much as she missed the dark, wild curls, it looked good on him. His brow furrowed, studying her curiously. “How did you get past Ghost?” 

“He let me past,” Dany said with a shrug. Jon chuckled, the warm sound making something in her chest stir. 

“Of course he did,” Jon said, sheathing his sword, before his eyes found hers again. “Is there somethin’ I can help you with, Daenerys?” 

She clasped her hands behind her back, trying to calm her quickening heartbeat at the way Jon looked at her. “Not particularly,” she admitted. Gods above, it had been far too long since she’d had to do this. “I was just wondering if perhaps you’d like to go for a stroll with me through the gardens.” She smiled, trying to look enticing. “A hero such as yourself needs a break sometimes, doesn’t he?” 

A little smile ticked at Jon’s lips— that same smile he’d offer her when their eyes met in the marketplace. “I’m not sure if I’m deservin’ of a break, but it’s hard to say no to that,” he agreed. He offered her his arm, dark eyes locked on hers, and Dany’s heart pounded as she took it. 

He was warm, his muscles flexing underneath her touch, skin smooth as marble. Gods above, he’d just been working out, and somehow he _ still _smelled good— like leaves in the forest, fresh and clean, completely intoxicating. He looked down at her, and in the silver light from the moon, she swore she could see flecks of gold in his eyes. 

“Why do you think you’re undeserving of such a break?” she asked, just to have something to say. “You’re certainly the most famous hero in Greece. You don’t think you deserve a single night off?” 

Jon shrugged, looking ahead as they strolled down the path. “I dunno. I’d feel guilty if anythin’ happened while I was away. Feels selfish, almost.” She laughed at that, once again blown away by the sheer selflessness of Jon Snow. 

“You are certainly unlike any hero I’ve ever met, Jon Snow,” she declared. “Generally they’re all in it for the fame and fortune.” She looked up at him, a smile pulling at her lips. “But it seems what you said to me that day we first met holds true. You really are doing this just to help people.” 

He nodded, studying her. “That’s all I want, really.” He looked down at the ground, the soft splashing of water over stones filling the silence. “I’m a demigod, you know,” he told her, voice low, and Dany stopped dead in her tracks. _ That _she had not been expecting. “My father is Zeus. I’ve never met him, but…” His hands fell to the sword at his hip. “This was a gift from him. All my life I’ve been a good fighter. Stronger, faster than all the others. I just feel that I should use that to do some good. Protect other people.” 

“Well that certainly explains how you’ve bested all those monsters so easily,” Dany said with a laugh. No _ wonder _ Hades was having such a hard time disposing of him. A demigod, and a son of _ Zeus _at that. Jon chuckled as well, taking her hand, Dany’s heart leaping. “And it’s admirable how selfless you are.” 

He looked down at her, the shine in his eyes unreadable. Still, it made her pulse quicken, heat flooding her body. “I have to admit,” he said, voice low, and it sent shivers down her spine. “It’s very hard to think selflessly with you here.” 

She could feel herself blush, heart thumping in her chest. Jon reached over to smooth a piece of hair behind her ear, fingers brushing her cheek, and _ gods, _ she hadn’t felt like this about a man in _ so _long. 

_ Stop it, _ her mind snapped. She was here for a reason, not to swoon over some hero who would probably just leave her behind in the dust. _ But Jon’s not like that, _ she couldn’t help but think. Couldn’t help but _ hope. _

Clearly her heart agreed, because all it did was beat faster as Jon smiled at her, the two of them strolling through the gardens hand in hand. 

They chatted about everything and nothing as they walked along, the sky growing darker, stars shining brighter overhead. Jon was easy to talk to— he listened to her, nodding along to her words, that little smile pulling at his lips. And the longer they talked, the more she forgot about the reason she was supposed to be there in the first place. 

They stopped at a bench underneath a tree covered in beautiful white blooms, the fountain in front of them gurgling happily. Jon took the seat next to her, their legs brushing, tangled fingers in between them. 

“I feel almost bad having Ghost sit watch so I can practice alone in here at night,” Jon told her. “Feels somewhat wrong to keep this from the rest of the city. The gardens are so beautiful at this time.” 

“Mmm,” Dany hummed in agreement. “They remind me of the countryside. All the green, and the flowers.” She closed her eyes, thinking back to what seemed like a different lifetime. A little cottage with a red door, and lemon trees so close to the windows that the blooms would fill the house with their scent in the springtime. It had been so long since she had been the girl that had lived that life. 

“Aye, me as well. That’s where I grew up,” he told her. “My mother still lives out in the country. She’s never much liked the cities.” He chuckled, eyes casting down. “Not sure I blame her.” 

“You don’t like living here?” she asked, genuinely curious. She’d lived in the city for such a time now that she’d grown used to it. Though she did miss the rolling hills, the endless green. All the space there was to roam. 

Jon shrugged, gaze meeting hers. There was something so bright in his eyes— almost wanting, she thought. Affection, or adoration. It was hard to tell. It had been so long since anyone had ever looked at her like that. But the warm, rich brown— it pulled her in and held her trapped, and she was helpless against its pull.

Dany wasn’t sure she wanted to find a way out, truthfully. She could sit on this bench with Jon Snow for the rest of her days, and she was sure she would be happy. 

“I dunno,” he said. “I don’t mind it. Livin’ in the country’s prettier. There’s too many people here, all squished together, on top of each other.” He shrugged again. “But this is where people need the most help, I reckon. So that’s where I am.” 

She studied him, letting the silence stretch on, seeing the truth in his eyes. This brave, selfless man, who thought of others’ happiness before his own… it stunned her, still. After all this time, she thought she had a grasp on Jon Snow was, but with everything more she learned about him, it just made her like him _ more. _Even though she shouldn’t. Even though she should be hightailing away from him and his good heart and his good looks, running as far and fast as she could. Heroes had never done anything but burn her, ruin her, leave her behind. And yet all she wanted was to stay here with Jon forever. 

“What?” he finally asked her, brow furrowing. She shook her head, still caught up in his eyes. 

“You are entirely unlike any other man I’ve ever known,” she told him, and Jon smiled slightly, looking down at their twined fingers. 

“I hope that’s a good thing,” he said sincerely, looking up at her again, and she couldn’t help but smile at him, delighting in the way it made his eyes seem warmer. 

“It is,” she promised. “Most definitely.” 

The warm summer breeze drifted through the gardens, making the flowers above them wave against the inky night sky. “It’s late,” Jon said, standing up, before pulling her to her feet as well. “I expect you need to be gettin’ back home.” 

“I should,” she said, bowing her head. Try as her mind may to protest, her heart yearned to stay here with him. 

Before she could say anything else, Jon reached up to the tree above, plucking one of the clumps of white flowers and holding it out for her. “For you,” he said, that smile pulling at his lips again, making her very soul ache with it all. 

“It almost matches my hair,” Dany said, shrugging the moonbeam curls behind her shoulder. Jon chuckled, looking down at the blooms. 

“Aye, it does,” he agreed. “Though not quite as pretty.” His eyes turned up to meet hers again, and the amount of affection shining there like gold made her stop dead. 

“Here,” Jon said, taking the flower, tucking it behind her ear. Her heart fluttered at the feel of his hand against her cheek, the barest brush of his fingers tangling briefly in her long hair. It had been so _ long _since anyone had made her feel this way. Like she was walking on air, chest light and heart soaring. Like anything was possible. 

_ It’s not real, _her mind tried to argue. It would fade; it wouldn’t last. It never did. Men took what they wanted, and then they chased after something new and shiny, prettier and younger and not so broken. And Dany was broken beyond belief. Broken and chained to the god of the dead. No one wanted that, she knew. Whatever this infatuation with Jon that she felt now was— eventually he would learn the truth. He would be disgusted with her, and he would leave. 

_ But maybe, _ her heart pleaded, wishing, _ hoping. _Gods, she wished more than anything. Wished that maybe Jon could care for her, see past all the awful things she’d been forced to do. Could want her, truly. 

She looked up at him, following the line of muscles from his hand, cupping her cheek, to his eyes, staring right at her. A little smile pulled at his lips, and Dany could feel her heart thumping, hope coursing through her with every beat. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, Jon stepping closer to her, filling up her senses. He was all she could see, dark curls silhouetted against the silver moon like a halo, eyes shining brighter than the stars above. He pursed his lips, and Dany wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. 

Tentatively, she brought a hand up to cheek, fingers brushing against the coarse hair of his beard as she ran her thumb over his cheekbone. His eyes slid shut, head ducking towards her, so close that their noses almost brushed. Her hands almost trembled against his smooth, warm skin, and her heart pounded rapidly as his eyes opened again. They looked golden in the moonlight, she thought. 

“Dany,” he said, and it sent a thrill through her, to hear him call her _ Dany _like no one ever did in real life. She blinked up at him, sure he could hear her heart racing, watching as his eyes flicked down to her lips. 

_ Please, _her heart begged, and Jon must have understood, because before she could say anything, he was leaning forward, closing the space between them and capturing her lips with his. 

She sighed against his mouth, heart fluttering, pulse racing, as she gave into the kiss. Jon’s lips were warm and soft, chasing after hers like he’d been dreaming of doing this for ages. She felt like she could soar, the way his arms snaked around her, holding her right up against him. Her hands ran up his chest, seeking out those dark curls, sinking her fingers into them. 

With everything she knew about Jon Snow, she would have expected his kiss to be slow and gentle, tentative, almost chivalrous. But Dany could see now how wrong that was. He kissed her like it was his purpose in life, like he’d been waiting for years to get the chance to love her. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, begging for entrance, and she granted it to him easily, fingers digging into the back of his chiton as his tongue explored her mouth. 

She felt her heart might burst at any moment, whimpering as Jon kissed her deeper, his hands tracing down her sides to wrap around her waist, tickling the bare skin of her back. Gods, it felt so _ right, _her chest expanding, filling with light as she kissed Jon in the gardens, underneath the tree with blooms the color of the moon above. 

He pulled away a moment later, both of them gasping for breath, eyes wide as they studied each other. Jon’s mouth curled into a smile, a real, _ true _ smile, teeth shining behind perfect lips, the corners of his eyes crinkling with joy. And _ that’s _when it all came rushing back, horror filling her, making her want to cry. 

The real reason she was here was Hades. And no matter how she felt about Jon, no matter how much she didn’t want to betray him, Hades held a power over her that she could never hope to defeat. Not even with a hero like Jon.

“Dany,” he said, brow furrowing, hands coming down to cup her face. “Are you alright?” She just shook her head, not sure what to say— she couldn’t _ tell _him. Hades would add another hundred years to her sentence, if he didn’t kill her out of spite first. She realized Jon was still speaking, looking up into his eyes, her heart breaking all over again at the panic she saw there. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head, eyes desperate. “I didn’t mean to— I shouldn’t have done that—” 

“No, Jon,” she said, trying to smile at this sweet, sweet man. How, in just one night, had she come to care for him so deeply? “It’s not that,” she assured him, and his gaze stilled, eyes still full or remorse. She exhaled, voice trembling as she forced out the next words. 

“You don’t want anything to do with me, Jon,” she told him, and now his brow furrowed in confusion. “I’m no good for you. I’ve done… terrible things, and I don’t deserve you, or your—” 

“Stop it,” he cut her off, voice sharper, full of determination. “That’s not true, Dany. I don’t care what you think you’ve done, I promise you—” 

“No, Jon, it is true,” she said. He just shook his head, vehement, before he leaned down to kiss her again, softer this time. 

“You’re better than you know,” he assured her, and she wanted to cry at how much faith he had in her. “I can see it,” he promised. “Even if you can’t.” 

“Thank you,” she whispered, not sure what else to say. He smiled at her sweetly, the little, tiny one he seemed to save for her, and it made her heart pound even faster. 

“Where do you live?” he asked her, fingers reaching down to tangle with hers again. “I can walk you back.” 

She shook her head, eyes fixed on their hands. “It’s alright. I think I’ll stay here a while longer, if you don’t mind.” She raised her head to meet his eyes again, and he just nodded at her. Unable to help herself, she rose up on tiptoes, kissing his cheek softly, letting her lips linger there. 

“Goodnight, Dany,” he said, with that little half smile. 

“Goodnight, Jon,” she returned, giving him a smile of her own. 

She watched him walk away, every fibre of her being aching to follow behind him, to go home with him and let him make her forget about everything else in her life. It was a terrible thought. She was _ using _him, she knew, even if it was against her will. And even still, even after everything Jon had shown her to prove he was nothing like the men she had known before, there was still a part of her that was terrified that he would leave her behind, let her heart crumble to sand and kick the dust to scatter it into the wind. 

She heard his low whistle to Ghost as the gates swung shut, and she squeezed her eyes closed. 

It had been so long since she’d felt as happy as she had tonight. 

And so she made up her mind. 

Every step closer to Jon’s place felt somewhat like a mistake. And yet she couldn’t stop walking, desperate to see him again, to feel like her heart was on fire. To give in and _ trust _him, trust that he wouldn’t turn away from her, trust that he would still want her, despite it all. She hesitated in front of his door, hand raised to knock, fingers frozen in terror. 

Finally, she took a deep breath, and she knocked. 

Jon answered the door not moments later. “Dany,” he said, surprised, and the sound of her name on his lips was enough to make her breath catch, fire flooding her veins. “Did you—”

“You shouldn’t want me,” she said, heart pounding in her chest. “And yet, I still can’t help but wish that you do.” 

“I do,” he answered in an exhale, eyes darting between hers. “Gods above, Dany, I do.” 

He reached for her, her body crashing against his chest as his lips found hers, kissing her hungrily. It was as if they had been parted for a lifetime, not mere minutes. Hastily, he pulled her inside and kicked the door closed with his foot, pressing her up against the surface not a moment after. 

Jon’s hands were much braver here, mapping her curves and reaching around to squeeze her arse, fingers digging into the plump flesh. His lips worked against hers desperately, kissing her long and deep and messy, her arms locking around his neck like a vise. She moaned breathily as his mouth wandered from her lips to her neck, sucking on the soft skin there, teeth grazing her collarbone. 

“Jon,” she whimpered, hands coming to his front, determined to rid him of his clothing. He tore his hands from her own body, helping push his chiton off his shoulder, Dany becoming breathless at the sight of all his smooth, toned muscle. Her eyes roved over his chest, heart pounding at the way his abdominals flexed at her touch, muscles jumping when her fingers traced the trail of dark hair that disappeared below his waistband. 

“Gods, Dany,” he said, voice guttural, and she pulled her fingers away, undoing the ties at her neck and letting her dress drop to the floor, leaving her bare. 

His eyes went wide as he took her in, and then he was moving as fast as a wolf, seizing her in his arms and pulling her up tightly against him. His hands roamed over her bare back, squeezing her arse again, before they forced their way between their bodies, taking a breast in his hand, making Dany’s head fall backwards as he kneaded at it. 

“Oh,” she moaned, and Jon scooped her up in his arms, moving swiftly across the room, depositing her on his bed. He only paused briefly to fully remove his chiton, tossing it across the room before he climbed up after her, covering her body with his. 

It felt like every nerve in her body was on fire, her blood running unbearably hot, desire pooling in her belly and making her wet at the slide of his warm skin against hers. Jon took his time to map every inch of her body, and every passing minute just made her want him _ more, _pressing herself against him as he worshipped her. His mouth against her breasts was almost too much, making stars dance before her eyes. “Yes,” she begged, wrapping her legs around his waist, rutting up against him as his fingers parted her folds, gathering her wetness on them. “Gods above, Jon, just like that.” He smiled as he kissed her again, and as her nails raked down the smooth planes of his back, his hard length brushing against her folds, she could feel his heartbeat against her skin, thumping just as fast her own. 

“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispered, kissing her one last time before lining himself up, hiking her knee up and out of the way. 

When he pushed into her in one powerful stroke, stretching her wide and filling her completely, Dany could cry at how _ right _it felt. Like she had been wandering for years, and had finally found home. 

She knew, afterwards, that she should go home. She shouldn’t stay here— already what she’d done had been pushing her own luck. But she wasn’t as selfless as Jon Snow, clearly. So she stayed, wrapped up in his arms, in his bed, nosing at his cheek sleepily and smiling to herself when he pulled her in tighter to his chest. And every other time they had each other through the night, it felt just the same as the first. As if she had finally found the place where she belonged. 

It made her return back to Hades even more unpleasant. 

“What do you mean, he didn’t tell you anything?” the god snarled, lips twisted into a scowl. But Dany didn’t care what Hades thought anymore. He may own her soul, but he couldn’t take away the happiness that Jon made her feel. 

“I’m not sure how much clearer I could be,” she retorted. “He didn’t tell me anything. If you want to know his weaknesses, you need to give me more time.” 

Hades’ eyes narrowed. “And why is that?” he asked, arms crossing. 

“He has to really trust me,” she said. “You can’t just expect him to unload all his weaknesses on a practical stranger.” Hades seemed to consider this, nails tapping against his pallid skin. 

“Alright,” he finally conceded. “More time, I suppose. You have one moon, Daenerys.” His tone was venomous, eyes like poison. _ A moon, _ Dany thought. It wasn’t much. But a little time was better than no time at all.

“In a moon the planets will align for the first time in centuries,” Hades continued, sharp eyes following Dany. “And I need to know how to defeat Jon Snow by then.” 

“You will,” she retorted, chin defiant. 

At Hades’ answering smile, she couldn’t help but feel as if her heart was breaking all over again. 


	2. I'm coming, wait for me (I hear the walls repeating)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the second half! 
> 
> Let it be noted I absolutely detest writing battles and am only here for the Jonerys fluff. And the Hadestown references. There are a bunch in this chapter and I have no regrets. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for your very warm response on the first chapter of this-- I hope you enjoy the ending of this story just as much! It was very fun to write from beginning to end. Keep an eye out, too, because I have more works planned still for Jonerys AU month (and one for Halloween week as well!) 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

The days passed, and still Dany found a way to put off telling Hades what he wanted. 

Not that she really could have. The more she came to learn about Jon, the more convinced she was that he  _ had  _ no weaknesses. She spent almost every evening with him in the gardens, and then every night wrapped up with him in his bed, and she had yet to find a single flaw that could bring about his downfall. It was selfish of her, she knew, to feel this way about him, to revel in his presence and let him push all thoughts of the rest of the world from her mind. She should leave him alone and deal with the consequences of betraying Hades herself. 

Because that was the thing. The longer she spent with Jon, strolling the markets, wandering the gardens, curling up against his solid chest at night— with every passing moment she spent beside him, the more willing she became to do whatever necessary to protect him. She would let Hades spite her, let him extend her sentence for hundreds of years, just to keep Jon safe. If it meant he got to  _ live,  _ she would suffer. 

Her chest tightened at the thought— the last time she had thoughts like that about a man, it had cost her everything. She’d sold her soul to save Drogo, and then he’d left her. But somehow her heart knew Jon was different. And with every day that passed, she became more and more convinced she was falling in love with him. 

And yet, as time went on, Hades demanded answers. She put him off for as long as she could— making up more excuses, telling him he’d have his answers eventually. She’d never been so bold in her refusal of the god of the dead. It tore at her heart, knowing what she was supposed to be doing to Jon. 

She just couldn’t bring herself to. 

“Dany,” Jon murmured late at night, nosing at her hair sleepily, hands still tracing patterns up her bare back. She’d collapsed against his chest after they’d both finished, still straddled across his hips, and she hadn’t had any desire to move since. 

She hummed in response, her ear right over his heart, listening to the steady beating as it gradually slowed. “Are you alright?” he asked, pushing strands of her mussed silver hair behind her ear. “Something seems wrong.” 

She wanted to cry at that. “I’m alright,” she assured him, turning her head so she could meet his lovely eyes. His lips curled into a smile, before she leaned up, kissing them softly. 

“Just have some things on my mind,” she said, in the vaguest way of reassuring him. He bought it, though, brow furrowing in concern, fingers tracing over her cheekbone tenderly. Her heart squeezed guiltily, shame flooding her from deceiving this wonderful, wonderful man. How, on all the gods above, had she been fortunate enough to find him? 

That was another thing about Jon. He seemed somehow convinced that  _ he  _ was the one wildly lucky that Dany wanted to be with him, not the other way around. 

Because Dany knew she was the lucky one. She was selfish, and had done terrible things. She was everything Jon Snow was not. And yet, he still cared for her. And it made her care for  _ him  _ even more. 

“I know how to fix that,” Jon murmured, his voice molten, and it sent a shiver down her spine, heat pooling low in her belly once again. His hands slid down, gripping her side and flipping her off of him, onto the bed, his elbows landing next to her head so that he hovered right above her. 

She looked right into his eyes, stunned by the amount of love she could see held there, before he was leaning down, kissing her. 

“Jon,” she sighed as his hips ground against hers, lips molding to hers before he broke away, leaving a trail of warm kisses down her chest. One of his hands moved to knead her breast, making her mouth fall open in a silent groan of pleasure, as his lips drifted lower, lower down her torso. 

The muscles in her stomach jumped as he kissed right above her pelvis, nudging her legs open wide so he could settle between them. She cried out as his tongue took a long, languid swipe up her slit, fire flooding her body, her heart feeling ready to burst. His sigh against her folds was full of pleasure, tongue lapping up her juices, Jon humming as if she was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. 

He’d told her such the night before, when he’d done just this. 

“That’s it, love,” Jon said, stilling her writhing hips as he continued to feast. “I’ve got you. Just let go.” 

Her toes curled against the bed, hands seeking out his raven curls so they could tangle in them, mindless noises of pleasure slipping free as Jon brought her to her breaking point with his clever mouth. And he was right— when he touched her just so, there was no possible way for her to remember what had been weighing so heavily on her mind. 

***

The nightmares started after about a week.

They were something different every night, but they had their one consistency. Jon always died, while she stood by and watched, held back and unable to get to him. Sometimes he was stabbed. Sometimes Hades tortured him until he lost the strength to live. Sometimes terrible monsters tore him limb from limb. 

But every time, she would wake up gasping for air, tear tracks running down her cheeks. 

She didn’t tell Jon. How could she? If she told him, she’d have to tell him  _ why  _ she kept seeing such horrible visions. And if she told him why, he would realize what she had done, and he would leave her. 

Dany realized what a fool she had been now. A stupid, bloody fool. She had gone and fallen in love with a hero, once again, and gotten herself into a situation that was doomed to end in heartbreak.

The dreams just got worse as her time ran out. There was hardly a week left before the planets would align, and Hades’ rage just kept growing. She awoke from her nightmares with a gasping cry, body shivering, heart feeling like a lead weight in her chest as she sat up in Jon’s bed, hunching over. 

“Dany,” Jon mumbled, and she felt the warm press of his hand against her back, fingers smoothing over the notches of her spine. “You alright?” 

She looked back at him over her shoulder, his sleepy eyes going wide when he saw her tear stained cheeks. “Hey,” he said, voice soothing as he sat up, taking her face in his hands. “Love, what’s wrong?” 

“It’s nothing,” she said, trying to brush it off, but Jon wouldn’t be swayed. 

“It’s not nothing, Daenerys,” he insisted. “What’s botherin’ you?” 

She looked into his eyes, so full of concern, and that was her mistake. Before she could even try to pull herself together, she broke down into tears. 

“Hey,” Jon said again, pulling her into his arms. She let him stroke up and down her bare back, let the warmth of his touch try to ease the pain in her heart, the guilt that weighed down on her soul like an anchor. “You’re scarin’ me,” he told her, kissing the top of her head. “Please tell me what’s botherin’ you.” 

“You’ll hate me, Jon,” she choked out, voice still thick with tears, stomach churning. “You’ll want nothing to do with me. And I wouldn’t even  _ blame  _ you for hating me, truly, but I don’t think my heart could take it.” 

‘Dany, look at me,” he said, voice quiet but insistent, determined. He took her face in her hands, guiding her head so that she could see his eyes, the conviction in those lovely brown irises. 

“There is nothin’ in this  _ world  _ that would make me hate you,” Jon told her. “I don’t care what it is you think you are, or you did. Just tell me, alright? And we can figure it out together.” 

The words were on the tip of her tongue, begging to break free. It was hard not to believe him when he spoke with such surety. And even though her heart was seized with terror, the very real possibility that Jon could learn the truth and never want to see her again making her body shake, that look in his eyes made her open her mouth. 

So she told him. She told him everything. 

Jon held her as recounted the entire tale— how she’d fallen in love with Drogo, how he’d been injured and on the brink of death, and how she’d prayed to Hades to spare her life. How the god had appeared before her and offered her a bargain, and she had taken it, desperately. And how her lover had left her behind when a better option presented itself, leaving her broken and chained to the god of the dead, forced to do his bidding. 

“Oh, love,” he said as she sobbed into his chest, rocking her gently. “Hey, hey, it’s alright.” 

“It’s not,” she argued, clutching at his shoulders desperately, still waiting for the moment when he would force her out of his arms and out of his life. And she would deserve it. “Jon, I lied to you. I’m supposed to be finding out what your weaknesses are so that Hades can  _ kill  _ you. I’ve been leading you on for all this time.” She laughed humorlessly, eyes squeezed shut. “You should hate me.” 

“I don’t,” he told her, voice steady and sure. “Don’t say that. I could never hate you.” His hand cupped her cheek again, drawing her face away from where it was buried in his shoulder, eyes meeting hers. The intensity of them made her heart pound. 

“I love you, Dany,” he said earnestly, and her stomach dropped. 

“How?” she asked, incredulous. “How could you possibly love me? After everything I’ve done?” 

He chuckled. “You remember the first day we met?” She nodded, blinking back the remainder of the tears. “You shoved me out of the way so that I wouldn’t hurt a  _ dragon,  _ and then sent the beast off before any harm could come to it.” He smiled at her, thumb brushing her cheekbone. “I knew then you were unlike anyone else I’d ever met in my life. And from that moment on, there was hardly a minute where you weren’t takin’ up my every thought.” 

She searched his eyes desperately, looking for any sign that he might be lying, that he might not mean what he said. But all she found there was truth, shining clear. 

“You’re compassionate, and you’re brave, and you’re stronger than you know,” he told her, kissing her brow. “And you’re beautiful, and selfless. You are, Dany,” he said, cutting off the beginnings of her protests. “You sold your soul to save a man you loved, even if he didn’t deserve it. And still, you had the courage to love again.” He paused, looking deep into her eyes once again. “That’s why I love you.” 

She crumpled in his arms at that, letting him hold her up, keep her safe. Her heart swelled, hardly daring to hope that maybe, truly, the two of them would be alright. 

“Anythin’ Hades made you do isn’t your fault, Dany,” he told her. “And don’t worry. We’ll find a way to stop him. To break you free from him.” 

Dany drew back, arms still locked around his neck, so that she could see his face. “You’re too good for me,” she told him, heart thumping as he stroked her back, leaving trails of fire on her bare skin. 

“No, I’m not,” Jon said, dropping his gaze.

“You are,” she insisted. “And I love you too.” 

His eyes darted up, meeting hers, searching. Just like hers had done before. And then he smiled, warm and wide and bright, like the sun coming out after a week of storms. 

He leaned forward to kiss her, pulling her chest flush against his, tongue seeking hers hotly. She moaned into his mouth, shivering in delight as he laid her down beneath him, kissed her harder and harder until any fears and any doubts were long banished from her mind. 

And after, as they lay tangled together, sated and sleepy, she finally felt at peace. 

***

The day before the planets were to align and Hades was to make his power grab, Daenerys was called back to him. 

She had never seen the god so angry. So frazzled. So  _ desperate.  _ But still, she thought of Jon’s words, and she stood strong. 

“I’m done,” she declared, crossing her arms defiantly. “I am not spying on him anymore for you. Find someone else to do it.” 

Hades rolled his eyes at that. “You can say whatever you want, sweet, but you know it doesn’t matter.” He snapped his fingers and a shimmering sheet of paper appeared before her— the contract for her soul, her signature neat at the bottom. “I own you. And whatever I tell you to do, you  _ have  _ to do.” 

“Fine,” she spat back. “You want to know his weaknesses? He doesn’t  _ have  _ any,” she said, Hades’ eyes narrowing. But she continued. “You can’t defeat him, you know it. Whatever you do, he will beat you tomorrow, and  _ you will fail.”  _

Hades laughed, and it sent a chill down her spine, the sound haunting. “Oh, Daenerys, darling,” he cooed, mocking. “You went and fell in love with him, didn’t you? I thought you had sworn off heroes.” 

“Jon’s different,” she retorted. “And that’s why he’ll win.” 

“Mmm, I don’t know,” Hades said with a shrug. For someone who had looked so frazzled before, he now seemed unreasonably calm. “He keeps defeating all the monsters I send after him. So maybe I don’t need him dead. Just distracted. Less satisfying, I suppose. But might work just as well.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Dany said, eyes narrowed. 

“Well, if he keeps killing all the real monsters I put up against him, maybe I can hold him off with a fake monster,” Hades reasoned. “Just long enough to do what I need to do, of course. Once the planets are aligned and the Titans are freed, whatever happens to Jon Snow won’t matter anymore.” 

Dany’s heart caught in her throat, fear coursing through her. She wasn’t even sure how that was supposed to  _ work.  _ Hades grinned, though, stepping closer to her. 

“And as for him having no weaknesses, dear,” he simpered, smiling that sickening grin, and her body felt like ice as he looked her up and down. “I have to disagree. I really think he does.” 

***

Dany knew it was pointless to fight against a god, but that didn’t mean she didn’t try. 

She fought back from the moment Hades grabbed her and tied her up until the moment he bound her with magic to a rocky spire at the bottom of the gorge where Jon had defeated the hydra all those weeks ago. At that point, she stopped struggling, saving her strength. There was no use trying to fight against magic. 

“Don’t worry, darling,” Hades said, grinning. “The magic will wear off just as the planets fall into alignment. But this will keep your precious wonderboy distracted until then.” 

“Go ahead and tie me up,” Dany spat. “Jon will still beat you.” 

“Will he, though?” Hades said, stepping back and waving his hand. From shimmering mist, an enormous dragon appeared, larger than the one she’d sent off in the glen. It roared ferociously, fire pouring from its fanged mouth, and Dany could feel the heat of the false flames. 

Hades laughed coldly. “When he sees his love’s life in danger, I think he may just put off stopping me.” 

“He won’t,” Dany said. “He’ll deal with you to save the world. He’s too selfless not to.” 

“See, that’s the thing,” Hades said, tapping his chin with a long, ghastly finger. “He  _ was  _ selfless. But when it comes to you, I think he can be very selfish indeed.” 

Her heart pounded, realizing with dread that Hades was right. He grinned delightedly as it dawned on her, and she struggled against the chains, even if it was a futile effort. 

“Bye bye, Daenerys,” he said, waggling his fingers at her. “Next time I see you, I’ll be ruling the world.” He waved his hand again, disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

The mirage dragon continued to thrash around her, beating its wings and roaring at the sky. It was incredibly believable, Dany couldn’t help but think. If she didn’t know it was fake, she would think it real in a heartbeat. She squeezed her eyes closed, hoping against  _ all  _ hope that Jon would choose to fight the real battle here. 

She wasn’t sure how much time passed— maybe hours, maybe minutes. But eventually she heard a wolf howl, and her stomach filled with dread, knowing the sound of Ghost all too well. 

“Dany!” Jon shouted, racing down the steep side of the gorge, making the dragon roar even louder. He drew his sword, the bronze gleaming in the light. “Hold on, I’m coming!” 

“No, Jon, don’t!” she cried, but Hades was right— he didn’t listen. He fought the dragon, moving swiftly to parry its blows, dodging the flames. “Stop!” she pleaded, but he wouldn’t hear her. Rolling underneath the dragon’s sharp claws, he dashed to where she was tied, sword still raised.

“Jon!” she pleaded, and his eyes snapped to hers. “Stop it, save your strength! You need to go defeat Hades!” 

“I’m not leaving you here, Dany,” he said, eyes full of determination, unwavering. He turned to block the dragon’s tail, darting to the side to avoid being knocked down. 

“You have to!” she begged. “Jon, it’s not real! It’s a trap, so that Hades can free the titans and defeat the gods!” 

“What do you mean, it’s not real?” he said, running back to her side, trying to cut through her binds with his sword. But the metal just clanged against the ropes— even another god’s magic couldn’t undo Hades’ spell. 

“It’s a mirage,” Dany said, desperately meeting his eyes, trying to get him to  _ see.  _ “Like the boys from before, that you helped out of the chasm. It can’t hurt me, because it’s  _ not real.”  _

“It looks real,” Jon argued, the heat from the dragon’s flames washing over both of them. Jon turned, catching the dragon’s underbelly with his sword, making the creature howl in pain. 

“Please, Jon,” she begged.  _ “Trust me.  _ You have to go stop Hades.” 

He looked at her, his confliction easy to see upon his face. “I can’t leave you, Dany,” he said, and he sounded so defeated it almost broke her heart. 

“You have to,” she told him. “I’ll be alright, I promise. But if you don’t stop Hades…” She blinked, eyes filling with tears. “There won’t be anything for you to come back to.” 

He stood still, pondering her words, even as the dragon roared above. “Alright,” he finally said. “I trust you.” He turned, whistling. “Ghost, stay with her.” 

“Go,” Dany told him, nodding. “You can do this.” 

He met her eyes one last time, nodding, before he was turning, running off with his sword in hand. 

The dragon settled once Jon was gone, though Ghost still kept his distance. Dany’s heart pounded with adrenaline, hoping and praying to any god listening that Jon would succeed. That he could stop Hades before it was too late. 

It seemed like years later when the dragon suddenly stilled, letting out one last cry as it dissolved back into mist. And then the chains around her loosened, falling to the ground and disappearing as well. The sun darkened in the sky as the planets shifted to block its light, all of them aligning. 

“Ghost,” Dany called, her body shaking, fear coursing through every inch of her, not knowing what had happened. If the heavens hadn’t fallen yet, if the titans weren’t ravaging the earth, did that mean Jon had won? She wasn’t sure, and the anxiety made her want to vomit. 

The wolf bound over to her, kneeling so that she could climb up upon his back. The moment she was seated he took off running, not needing any guidance at all to bring her to Jon. And once they reached his master, her heart stopped, taking in the scene before them. 

Jon was fighting Hades singlehandedly, the ground around them melting and burned, as if it had been struck by lightning. Jon moved faster than should be possible, swinging his sword as he fought off the magic that Hades threw at him. Her breath caught as she slipped from Ghost’s back, frozen as she watched them battle. 

_ “Enough!”  _ Hades snarled, whipping his hands through the air, daggers flying from his palms in all directions. Jon raised his sword to parry, but he wasn’t fast enough. Dany screamed as one hit him directly in the heart, embedding itself up to the hilt. 

_ “Jon!”  _ she shrieked, suddenly unfrozen, as she scrambled down the sharp decline down to where Jon and Hades were. Jon sunk to his knees, a hand flying to his heart, dropping his sword. She could only watch in horror as Hades sighed, turning and raising his hands towards the heavens, the ground beginning to rumble as he began his spells. 

“Finally!” he cackled, eyes fixed on the darkened sky. “Finally, the universe will be mine!” Magic shimmered in the air, Dany moving as fast as her feet could carry her towards the both of them. But then Jon reached down and picked up his sword, standing shakily before stepping forward, slashing his blade across Hades’ back. 

“Hey!” the god cried, the deathly slash having little effect on him. Still, the magic faded, Jon swiping at him again, and even in his weakened state, it was enough to distract Hades. 

“Can’t you just die already?” Hades asked, but Jon kept going. 

“Not quite yet,” he spit back, and suddenly, the sky grew brighter. 

Dany gasped as the sun regained its shine, Hades’ eyes widening as he realized what had happened. Jon sunk to his knees again, coughing as he hunched over on the ground, but it didn’t matter. The planets slid out of alignment, and Hades lost his chance. 

“No!” he shrieked, as Dany finally,  _ finally  _ reached the bottom of the decline. “No, no, no,  _ no!”  _ The god screamed at the sky, fists shaking, before melting into mist, returning to the land of the dead, defeated. 

But Dany found she did not truly care. 

“Jon!” she sobbed, skidding to a stop in front of him, Ghost right behind her. She knelt next to him, pulling his body into hers, his torso over her legs and his head cradled in the crook of her arm. 

“No, Jon,” she whimpered, brushing the dark curls from his sweaty forehead. His armor was dented and rusted, covered in blood, much too red and much too bright. Gods, there was  _ so much blood,  _ pouring out of him too rapidly. Desperately, she held a hand to his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. 

“S’no use,” he mumbled, skin growing paler and paler. “You can’t stop it, Dany.” 

“Shut up,” she snapped, eyes full of angry tears. “You are not allowed to die on me, do you hear me?” 

He chuckled weakly, his beautiful eyes growing dimmer. “Don’t think I have much of a choice, really,” he said, and her heart twisted painfully at how faint he sounded. 

“No, Jon,” she moaned, ducking her head to press her forehead to his. “You can’t. You can’t leave me. I won’t allow it.” 

“Dany,” he murmured, raising a shaking hand to her face; she took it in her own, squeezing it tightly. “Thank you. For givin’ me somethin’ to fight for.” 

_ “Jon,”  _ she sobbed, but she couldn’t help but smile at him sadly. At this wonderful, brave man who she loved so dearly. 

“I love you,” he whispered, his breaths becoming shaky. “I always will.”

“I love you too,” she returned, bending down to press one last kiss to his lips. He looked at her as she pulled away, those brown eyes shining, until slowly, slowly, the light faded from them altogether. 

She screamed in anguish when he went perfectly still in her arms, his life slipping away like the blood that had spilled from his body. Ghost howled, low and distraught, before he laid down next to his master, head on his paws, nosing at Jon’s temple. 

Exhaling shakily, Dany blinked the tears from her eyes, giving herself a moment to collect all her feelings, get a handle on the pain that was in her heart, like a knife had run her through as well. She did not allow herself to grieve. No, if she grieved, that would mean she had accepted his death. 

And that she would not do. 

It wouldn’t be easy, she knew. But she was going to get him back. She swore it on the heavens, to the gods above, and thunder rumbled as if Zeus himself had witnessed her vow. 

“I’ll bring you back,” she whispered to Jon, pressing her lips to his forehead. “You wait right there. I’m coming after you.” 

***

Dany knew her way to the Underworld well. 

Most mortals could never find it. The entrance was well hidden, disguised to keep Hades’ kingdom closed off from unwanted visitors. But Dany had been down below enough times. She knew the exact path to follow. And so she did. 

Past the river Styx, past Cerberus, past Charon and his ferry, Dany crept. She’d learned long ago that the closer she got, the less human she began to feel. Here, living didn’t quite feel the same. But she thought of Jon, and her determination just burned brighter, spurring her on through the darkness of the Underworld. 

It seemed like a lifetime and no time at all before she reached Hades. The god of the dead was beside himself with anger— apparently Jon’s death gave him little satisfaction in the wake of his ultimate defeat. His eyes narrowed when he caught sight of her, fingers curling against the table he was hunched over. 

“Daenerys,” he sneered, ugly mouth pulling into a scowl. “You were supposed to keep your  _ wonderboy  _ distracted, dear. Not tell him to  _ leave you  _ so he could go stop me.” Hades frowned, turning to glance to the space next to his throne, where red flames licked up almost to the top of the chamber. Her heart stopped, realizing that something was hidden in the flames— dark hair, smooth, pale skin, jawline sharp and bearded— it was  _ Jon.  _

“Whatever,” Hades spat, fingers curling angrily into fists. “He’s dead now. I might have to wait another millenia, but the planets will align again. He won’t be able to stop me then.” His eyes darted up, narrowing as they landed on Dany. “And I think another three hundred years on your sentence should be fair.” 

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the twisting flames, where Jon’s soul was trapped. But Hades’ words made her look up, her expression hardening with defiance. 

“No.” 

Hades blinked at her, scowl twisting further. “What do you mean, no?” he demanded. 

“I mean no,” Dany said. “You don’t own me anymore, Hades.” 

He laughed, cold and cruel. “Darling, I own you for as long as I see fit. You signed a contract. Remember?” 

“Yes, I do,” Dany said, taking a step closer. “I sold you my soul for the life of the man I love.” She crossed her arms, eyes hard. “But Jon is dead. You’re in breach of contract.” 

“You sold me your soul so I would save  _ Drogo,  _ and then he left you, sweet,” Hades sneered. “This has nothing to do with Jon. Now drop it, or I’ll make it  _ five  _ hundred years.” 

“It never says Drogo’s name in that contract I signed,” she argued back. “It says  _ the man I love.  _ And I love Jon.” 

Hades rolled his eyes, summoning the contract, reading over what Dany already knew. And with every word, his eyes grew wider. 

“That’s a minor technicality,” Hades said. “It’s in reference to Drogo, you know that.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Dany summoned all of her courage, sneaking one last look at Jon’s spirit before she marched up to the god of the dead, snatching the paper from his hands. “I love Jon, and you killed him.” She inhaled, hands clutching the shining contract as she tore it clean down the middle. 

Hades balked. “That shouldn’t be possible,” he said, face pale. 

“Unless you  _ broke your word,”  _ Dany said, fire flooding her veins. “And you did. You don’t own me. And you don’t own Jon.” She dropped the pieces at his feet, walking past the stunned god and to the flames. They twisted and danced, Jon’s figure so close that she felt she could reach out and touch him. 

“I’m taking him with me,” she declared, eyes fixed on Jon.  _ Jon.  _ Her heart squeezed, watching his soul twist lifelessly in the flickering fire. Behind her, Hades laughed. 

“Go ahead and try,” he said. “The moment you touch those flames, you’ll be sucked in with the rest of the spirits. And then you’ll truly never leave.” 

Dany didn’t turn back to see him. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Something was calling her to the flames. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe it was the effect of the Underworld, making her want to give in, succumb to the pull of death. But maybe it was Jon. Maybe this time, he needed  _ her  _ to be the hero. 

She squeezed her eyes closed, praying that she was right.  _ Zeus,  _ she thought.  _ If you care for your son at all, if you are grateful for everything he gave to save you, then let me do this.  _

And she stepped into the flames. 

She could hear Hades’ voice behind her, but it was garbled, like she was hearing him from underwater. The flames tickled her skin, the heat pleasant, licking around her feet, up her arms. Inside the fire, she could see all the souls Hades had collected, stretching on endlessly, drifting lifelessly. But there was only one that she cared about. The man that she loved. And he was right in front of her. 

“Jon,” she whispered, reaching up gently, stroking his face. His skin was too pale, almost translucent, and he was cold to the touch. Almost like a ghost. But Dany didn’t care. She slipped her arms around him, cradling him against her chest, his head falling to her shoulder. She almost cried, thinking back to the way he had nuzzled into her those nights ago, the two of them tangled up in his bed, happy and carefree and in love. Even if she hadn’t wanted to admit it yet. If this didn’t work— she wasn’t sure what she would do. 

But that wasn’t an option. This  _ would  _ work. Jon would live. So she turned, walking back out of the flames, Jon’s soul held in her arms. 

If Hades had looked shocked when she had ripped up the contract, it was nothing in comparison to how he looked upon seeing her step out of the flames, completely unscathed. The air immediately felt colder, clammier, the warmth of the fire gone. 

“You… you can’t just…” Hades stuttered, stepping towards her, but she glared at him, withering, clutching Jon tightly. 

“I can. I’m leaving,” she said, looking back to the flames. Her exit had made them burn lower, leaving a pathway to the beyond open. And from it, souls began to spill, crawling towards Hades, clawing at him with twisted, dead hands. 

“Goodbye, Hades,” Dany said as she reached the entrance to his chambers, turning to watch as he was dragged towards the fire by the escaped spirits. “I won’t be seeing you for quite some time.” 

“Daenerys!” he screeched, fingers scrabbling against the stone floor as the spirits pulled him deeper into the beyond.  _ “Daenerys!”  _

But she turned, ignoring his pleas. He had made her suffer enough. And now, finally, he had no power over her. So she left, holding Jon still. 

The journey back was easier, the feeling of life beginning to return to her with every step. But the soul of the man she loved cradled in her arms— that was what spurred her on, pushed her through the remainder of the underworld. And then finally, she saw sunlight again, the promising fresh air of the land of the living. 

Every step she took closer to where Jon’s body rested, the soul cradled in her arms became heavier. By the time she reached him, Ghost still laying protectively at his side, a huge white paw beneath his head, he was so heavy that she could barely lift him. But she summoned the rest of her strength and sunk to her knees, laying his spirit down onto his body, watching with bated breath as it sunk back into him, his skin shimmering as his soul returned home. 

She waited, watching for anything. Any sign. A twitch of the finger, a shallow breath. Anything at all that would assure her the man she loved so ardently was still alive. 

Just as she began to lose hope, let despair sink its claws into her heart, Jon jolted awake, chest heaving as his eyes flew open in shock. 

“Jon!” she cried, voice strangled as he looked around wildly. He caught sight of her, and she clutched at his hand, squeezing it tightly. She almost cried in relief when he squeezed it back.

“Dany,” he gasped, sitting up tentatively. “Dany, I—” 

She didn’t let him finish, throwing her arms around him instead and pulling him into her tightly. His arms circled her, and the feeling of his muscles flexing,  _ working and moving,  _ against her body was enough to make her cry again. He was back. He was real. He was  _ alive.  _

“How did—” he said, and she pulled back a little, studying his eyes. 

“I went to the underworld, and I took you back,” she said. Jon’s brow furrowed in confusion, but she could explain everything later. They had an entire lifetime for recounting history. 

“I tore up my contract while I was there,” she said casually. “Hades doesn’t have anything over me anymore.” Jon smiled at that, leaning into her, bringing their foreheads together.

“I told you you couldn’t leave me,” she murmured, her nose nudging his. She could feel him hum, it reverberating through her whole body, relief flowing through her that Jon was  _ alive.  _ That he was here with her, and that he loved her. As she loved him. 

“I never will again,” he promised, before leaning in to kiss her. 

She smiled against his lips, and she could feel him chuckle into the kiss as well, both of them too overjoyed to be anywhere near serious right now. Ghost yipped happily, shoving his snowy head between them, and then they truly laughed. 

“I’m glad to see you too, boy,” Jon said, stroking his wolf’s ears. He turned back towards Dany again, brow furrowing a little bit. 

“I saved the world,” he said, matter of factly. She just nodded, for he had. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to top that.” 

She giggled. “No, I daresay you won’t,” she agreed. 

“I think I might retire, then,” he said, looking around. “I’ve had a good run as a hero. But what I’d really like… is a cottage in the country.” He looked at her again, eyes shining. “With a red door, and lemon trees outside the windows.” 

“That sounds beautiful,” she agreed, heart feeling light, like it could soar right from her chest. Jon smiled again, that little half smile she loved so dearly. 

“Well, not as beautiful as the woman I’d like to share it with,” he admitted, and she laughed, tipping her head back in joy. When she met Jon’s eyes again, they were soft, full of affection. She was sure hers looked the same. 

“It sounds like a proper happy ending,” she agreed. “And I think, after this, you’ve earned it.” 

“No,” Jon said, and his smile was brighter than the sun in the sky. He leaned into her again, kissing her lips softly, before he whispered against them: “We’ve earned it.” 

And truly, Dany thought, they had. 


End file.
